Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a Field Engineer to support the shipboard installation, integration, and fielding of the V-BAT unmanned aircraft system on maritime platforms. This role sits at the intersection of hardware integration, RF systems, and customer operations, and is critical to ensuring successful deployment, system performance, and customer confidence in operational environments.
The ideal candidate is hands-on, adaptable, comfortable working aboard ships, and capable of serving as a technical authority in forward-deployed and customer-facing environments.
What you'll do:
- Install and integrate the V-BAT UAV system on maritime platforms, including:
- Air vehicle support equipment
- Radios and networking components
- Antennas, cabling, and mounting hardware
- Ensure installations comply with shipboard safety standards, EMI/EMC requirements, and platform-specific operational constraints.
- Execute installations in confined, austere, and operational shipboard environments.
- Configure, calibrate, and validate communication systems, including LOS and BLOS radios, antennas, and associated networking hardware.
- Perform link testing, spectrum checks, and interference mitigation in complex maritime RF environments.
- Support troubleshooting and optimization of RF performance during shipboard operations.
- Work directly with customers, ship crews, and program stakeholders to understand ship-unique requirements and operational needs.
- Adapt installation approaches and system configurations to platform-specific constraints while maintaining system performance, safety, and compliance.
- Serve as a technical interface between Shield AI, the customer, and the operating platform.
- Conduct post-installation inspections, functional testing, and system verification to ensure operational readiness.
- Support system acceptance activities and operational demonstrations as required.
- Document installation configurations, calibration data, deviations, and lessons learned.
- Generate clear technical reports and provide feedback to engineering and program teams to support continuous improvement and design evolution.
- Diagnose and resolve hardware, integration, and RF issues in deployed and shipboard environments.
- Provide on-site technical support during fielding, training, and operational events.
- Serve as a professional technical representative of the program during customer engagements.
- Support and assist with flight testing activities under the System Test team during off-ship periods, as operational schedules allow.
- Participate in system checkout, ground testing, and developmental or regression flight test activities to support system verification and readiness.
- Provide field-driven integration and RF insights to System Test and Engineering teams to improve test coverage, procedures, and system robustness.
Required qualifications:
- B.S. degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline, such as Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering.
- Experience with field installation, integration, or sustainment of complex electromechanical or RF systems.
- Hands-on experience with radios, antennas, cabling, and networking equipment.
- Ability to troubleshoot hardware, integration, and RF issues in operational environments.
- Comfort working aboard ships and in maritime or deployed settings.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work directly with customers and operators.
- Willingness to travel extensively, including shipboard deployments.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/UAV) or aerospace platforms.
- Familiarity with shipboard systems, maritime safety standards, and EMI/EMC considerations.
- RF testing experience (spectrum analysis, link testing, interference mitigation).
- Prior military, defense, or maritime operations experience.
- Experience providing feedback to engineering teams to improve fielded systems.
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.